Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
And I met my ex-wife. And the rest, as they say, is history.
But now she’s back, and although she’s still put me squarely in the friend zone, I’m going to do my damnedest to make her see that we could be so much more than friends. I know I want her. I’ve wanted her for a long time.
But she’s also been gone for a while, and I need to get to know her again. I’m not stupid. I can’t just flash a smile, tell her she’s fucking gorgeous—even though she is—and expect her to spread those pretty legs and tell me she can’t live another minute without me.
It’s going to take some time. And given her traumatic past, I don’t want to scare her. I don’t even know if I would scare her if I told her how much I want her.
Again, I need to get to know her better.
With the water running, I strip out of my T-shirt and boxers and get into the spray, my hand immediately wrapping around the base of my cock and moving up, with thoughts from my dream in the forefront of my imagination as I slide my fist up and down my length, until I come hard against the tile, then grab the hand-held and wash it all away.
Jesus, this is ridiculous.
“Daddy, I’m hungry.”
“Coming, peanut.”
Between Birdie and a very full-time job of being fire chief of Bitterroot Valley, I have enough on my plate already, but ever since Dani returned to town, it’s highlighted that something was missing from my life. I’m not lonely, per se—my life doesn’t allow that if I’m honest—but on the quiet nights when Birdie is asleep in bed, there’s been a noticeable absence of someone to spend that time with. I want to cuddle up with someone, feel them against me, talk about my day, and listen about hers. And I know that the only woman who appeals to me is Dani.
In some respects, it’s always been her.
“If we’re going to the pool party later, we need to go now.” I’m holding the door open for Birdie, waiting for her to shimmy into her sneakers. The shoes I bought her at the beginning of summer are way too small now.
It’s a good thing we’re going shopping.
“Okay,” she says after grabbing her sunglasses, which always makes me grin. She decided that because I wear them, she should, too, and hers are pink with green polka dots. “I’m ready.”
I hear the lawn mower going as we walk out to my truck, and suddenly, Birdie is waving like mad. The lawn mower cuts off, and I follow my daughter’s gaze.
There’s Dani, standing behind the now-quiet mower, in cutoff denim shorts that barely hide her ass, a white tank that leaves absolutely fucking nothing to the imagination, her hair up on her head, and a sheen of sweat covering her dewy skin.
Fuck me.
“Hi, Dani,” Birdie yells, still waving.
“Hi, Birdie,” Dani replies with a sweet smile for my daughter. Then her gorgeous blue eyes shift to mine. “Hi, Bridger.”
“Dani.” I nod at her the way I always do and nudge Birdie toward the truck. “Let’s go, peanut.”
“We’re going shopping for school,” Birdie informs Dani. “’Cause it starts next week.”
“I know,” Dani says with a chuckle. “I’m going to be your teacher.”
My heart stops. What? I knew that Dani would be teaching at the elementary school this year, but I didn’t know that meant that she would be my daughter’s teacher, which means I’ll see her often, and that is a very good thing.
“You are?” Birdie asks, almost screeching with excitement. “Yay!”
Dani laughs now and nods. “I am. Your dad should have received that information in an email.” Her gaze turns to mine again, with more humor in it now. “Along with the supplies list.”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, willing my galloping heart to slow the fuck down. “I must have missed that part.”
“Have fun shopping,” she says and turns to start the mower again. It only takes her two pulls on the string before it fires up, waves, and then walks behind it, her hips and ass moving with every step, and I have to pry my eyes away.
Get a grip, Blackwell.
“Come on, peanut. We have a full day today.”
“If you spent all day school shopping, you need a beer.” Blake, one of my brothers, passes me a cold bottle, and I flip off the cap and take a pull. Yeah, I could use a drink, and not because of the shopping spree that I took my daughter on today. No, I need it because I just discovered that Dani is also at this pool party.
Which makes sense because it’s being held at a friend’s ranch, Ryan Wild, who Dani is now related to by marriage.
Of course, she’s here. I should have realized that she would be. But I didn’t think of it, and now here I am, sitting with a few of my brothers, Dani’s brother, Holden, and a couple of the Wilds, watching as kids run around, swim, and play while a whole bunch of people drift around.